Jah Prayzah, Davido collabo divides opinion

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Jah Prayzah and Nigeria’s Davido recently dropped their much-anticipated collaboration which has been received with mixed feelings by their legion of fans.

The issue is about whether the two artistes nailed it or not.

However, as is the case with collaborations, sometimes it works while in other cases it doesn’t work. Titled ‘My Lilly’, the song was released last week but there has been so much debate surrounding the song.

While it is true that Jah Prayzah is eyeing the international market there is a feeling among critics and fans that he is fast losing his identity while compromising on sound quality and originality.

Some critics say Jah Prayzah is now driven by the love of numbers where for instance, if he collaborates with Davido that would cause traction to his YouTube page as hundreds of thousands of fans watch the video.

Davido has a following of more than one and half million followers on Twitter and Instagram and the belief is that any collaboration with the Nigerian artiste would translate into money earned from the number of YouTube views.

Such is the technology and no matter how good or bad a video is there is still money to be made.

Below are some of the unedited views taken from Facebook from a cross section of Jah Prayzah’s fans.

Alex Zimbo wrote: “Jah Praiser’s new song and Davido Dololo, it reminds me of those days when we were at school singing the national anthem with a discord. Such Big Artisets with a Dololo Song”

Andrew Gava replied: “That leaves only me. I am playing it over and over. I am loving it”

Themba Mkanda a radio DJ on ZiFM Stereo: “In the music industry lines get blurred genres get blended and often times artistes get blamed. After mixed feelings over the song #Mylilly the new Jah Prayzah featuring Davido should an artiste restrict himself from exploring other genres in order to suit the regional and international market?”

Kasparov T Mhangami commented: “Arguably his best song ever . . . “The quality of the video is superb . . . That building?! It was something else!!! You shine like a light from sun girl!”

Tapiwa Paul Mazani wrote: “Zimbos we have one problem, selfish. “Heard most pple saying they were expecting Jerusalem kinda song, we only want music which suit us when we sit under a tree drinking Chibataimunhu, do we buy music?”

“No. Do we promote our artistes? No. To the artistes music is a career. They have families to feed. Jah Praisah had to do music which appeals to the whole of Africa if not international. All those who think that the song is not good I’m sure they also say Davido’s IF is not good, but did u check how the song is doing on YouTube. That song is dope n Jah akuzotora mari nayo (Jah Prayzah is making money). That’s why most of the artistes which we regard as good in Zim are poor, they make music for Zimbos only and that doesn’t put food on the table.”